Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

On October 7, 2026, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) met with stakeholders across Korea’s nuclear sector at Seoul Club on the 18th floor of the Korea Press Center in Seoul, on the occasion of the launch and inaugural meeting of the Nuclear Export Leaders Forum. At the meeting, participants discussed how to usher in a new era of nuclear power exports.

Worldwide interest in nuclear power, a reliable source of carbon-free electricity, has been growing as countries seek to address the climate crisis and energy security concerns and meet rising electricity demand from the spread of AI and data centers. This has also raised expectations for the overseas expansion of Korea’s nuclear industry.

Against this backdrop, Korea’s nuclear sector has expressed the view that ushering in a new era of nuclear power exports would require a communication channel linking industry, academia, research institutes, and government to share information and exchange views on current issues. In response, the Korea Nuclear Association for International Cooperation (KNA) launched the Nuclear Export Leaders Forum with its member companies and other stakeholders. MOTIR and KNA supported the inaugural forum, and going forward, KNA and stakeholders across the nuclear sector will jointly develop its operating framework, run the forum independently, and hold meetings on a regular basis.

From MOTIR, Deputy Minister for International Trade and Investment Kang Gam-chan and Lee Sang-eun, Director of the Nuclear Power Plant Cooperation Division,, both of whom oversaw the working-level negotiations on the Korea–U.S. Nuclear Power Framework, attended the forum. They explained the framework and shared anecdotes, giving participants a vivid account of the negotiations leading to the agreement with the United States. Participants also shared a range of views on entering overseas markets, including the United States. In particular, representatives of nuclear SMEs and middle market enterprises expressed high expectations for entering overseas nuclear markets, inquiring about opportunities to participate in supply chains for U.S. projects and the relevant requirements.

In response to this interest, the government plans to actively support Korean companies in acquiring the design and manufacturing capabilities and meeting the qualification requirements needed to enter overseas nuclear supply chains. It will enhance around 30 existing support programs, including the “Nuclear Export First Step” program, support for certification and supplier registration, and export bond insurance. The government will also develop new support measures tailored to global markets, including the United States, and begin providing full-scale support in 2027. In addition, the government plans to invite global nuclear industry representatives to the 2026 Global Nuclear Energy & Safety Confex (NES 2026), to be held in Gyeongju from October 27 to 29, and organize supplier briefings, B2B meetings, and other activities.

In his congratulatory remarks, Deputy Minister Kang thanked Korea’s nuclear sector and said, “The recent Korea–U.S. agreement was made possible by the hard work of the nuclear sector, which has built a strong nuclear ecosystem and successfully completed projects despite difficult conditions.” He expressed hope that, with global demand for nuclear power growing, Korea’s nuclear sector would come together and pool its capabilities to expand into global markets. He also stressed that the government would provide all possible support to usher in a new era of nuclear power exports.